Feinstein: Next Justice Could be Deciding Vote to Protect Abortion Rights

Statement

Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released the following statement on the potential effect of the Supreme Court vacancy on women's reproductive rights:

"Senate Republicans seem intent on forcing a Supreme Court nominee through the process just weeks before Americans will vote on the next president. This is particularly troubling when it comes to women's rights.

"President Trump has repeatedly said his Supreme Court nominees would vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. Now he says he will nominate a Supreme Court justice who could be the deciding vote on cases involving women's health and access to abortion.

"In recent 5-4 decisions, the Supreme Court struck down restrictive abortion laws in Texas and Louisiana. Justice Ginsburg voted with the majority in both cases. That outcome would have been very different with a conservative justice in her seat.

"If we confirm an individual to Justice Ginsburg's seat who disagrees with the need to protect women's access to abortion, then the reproductive rights that women have fought so hard to gain could well be lost. We can't let that happen."

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